Stats from some of our middles this season with some context behind them, I know stats don't tell you everything but I think they certainly go against what you are saying here.
Never understood why a coach would not try to use PP as a battering ram prop, try to get him running like Walmsley at Saints, simple, hard, straight no nonsense down the middle stuff. Get him coming onto the ball at pace and just smash it up. Then get him defending in the middle. I thought we used him incorrectly playing second row, standing out wide, rarely getting his hands on the ball and genuinely not looking for work. We also had him defending out wide, oppositions targeted him, smaller faster players with footwork were tough for him to defend against, this in particular I thought was poor on our behalf, it was not fair to ask him to defend out wide where its important that your colleagues have confidence that you are going to make the one on one tackles. He needs to defend in the middle. I honestly thought that Watson would have him playing in the middle. Watching Salford the other night, yes he was on the pitch for long periods but he was stood out wide and rarely makes the tough carries where he could do some damage bringing the ball out of defense. I counted five sets in a row where Salford got procession on their own line and needed players to put their hand up and make a tough carry against an onrushing Saints defense ( how I admired Kevin Henderson who had the heart of a lion who was always there for us in these situations ) . PP just stood around and watched his mates do this hard work. All that said I remember a match away at Hull where PP came on as sub for us and had a rampaging stormer and basically turned the game in our favor, he was outstanding that day. Also the lad has now played and scored in a Wembley CC Cup final ( think Gale is still having nightmares ) and no one can take that away from him.
Your normally a sensible poster, what’s gone wrong?
Of course a player his size will have his moments. I don’t even think he’s always lazy, well not all the time, he’s just not a very good player.
Also he did play well for us for a while probably better than he has for Salford but he soon lost interest.
Tanganoa who I admit hadn’t really impressed me until recently was still imho a better player than PP ever was, now there is no comparison, top call by Chester.
I don’t get people fascination with PP. Of the many players Wakefield have tragically let go PP is way way down the list of those that actually upset me.
He was occasionally fun to watch but an absolute liability on occasions.
Yeah, I know he didn't play well for us at times. He had a good game in the cup final (last minute pen was a poor decision I thought) and a good game last night. He could do to work on his fitness still. He's gone now. I was just asking the question. In response to another post, I wasn't aware it was a choice between him and Tanginoa. Maybe in a team with one or two shaky tacklers, we can't afford another. Just makes me a bit envious when I see him knocking em off like flies but maybe I'm being selective
Never understood why a coach would not try to use PP as a battering ram prop, try to get him running like Walmsley at Saints, simple, hard, straight no nonsense down the middle stuff. Get him coming onto the ball at pace and just smash it up. Then get him defending in the middle. I thought we used him incorrectly playing second row, standing out wide, rarely getting his hands on the ball and genuinely not looking for work. We also had him defending out wide, oppositions targeted him, smaller faster players with footwork were tough for him to defend against, this in particular I thought was poor on our behalf, it was not fair to ask him to defend out wide where its important that your colleagues have confidence that you are going to make the one on one tackles. He needs to defend in the middle. I honestly thought that Watson would have him playing in the middle. Watching Salford the other night, yes he was on the pitch for long periods but he was stood out wide and rarely makes the tough carries where he could do some damage bringing the ball out of defense. I counted five sets in a row where Salford got procession on their own line and needed players to put their hand up and make a tough carry against an onrushing Saints defense ( how I admired Kevin Henderson who had the heart of a lion who was always there for us in these situations ) . PP just stood around and watched his mates do this hard work. All that said I remember a match away at Hull where PP came on as sub for us and had a rampaging stormer and basically turned the game in our favor, he was outstanding that day. Also the lad has now played and scored in a Wembley CC Cup final ( think Gale is still having nightmares ) and no one can take that away from him.
Yep he's a funny fish. If a coach gets their hands on him who can whip him into shape he could be more than just good sometimes
Never understood why a coach would not try to use PP as a battering ram prop, try to get him running like Walmsley at Saints, simple, hard, straight no nonsense down the middle stuff. Get him coming onto the ball at pace and just smash it up. Then get him defending in the middle. I thought we used him incorrectly playing second row, standing out wide, rarely getting his hands on the ball and genuinely not looking for work. We also had him defending out wide, oppositions targeted him, smaller faster players with footwork were tough for him to defend against, this in particular I thought was poor on our behalf, it was not fair to ask him to defend out wide where its important that your colleagues have confidence that you are going to make the one on one tackles. He needs to defend in the middle. I honestly thought that Watson would have him playing in the middle. Watching Salford the other night, yes he was on the pitch for long periods but he was stood out wide and rarely makes the tough carries where he could do some damage bringing the ball out of defense. I counted five sets in a row where Salford got procession on their own line and needed players to put their hand up and make a tough carry against an onrushing Saints defense ( how I admired Kevin Henderson who had the heart of a lion who was always there for us in these situations ) . PP just stood around and watched his mates do this hard work. All that said I remember a match away at Hull where PP came on as sub for us and had a rampaging stormer and basically turned the game in our favor, he was outstanding that day. Also the lad has now played and scored in a Wembley CC Cup final ( think Gale is still having nightmares ) and no one can take that away from him.
I get what you are saying, but I don't think he has the 'engine' to be able to do that. Whilst Salford do play him out wide I always get the impression he is blowing out of his arris a lot of the time.
What is the obsession with some regarding a former player. The various posts all seem to be trying to justify our decision and that he is still the same player he was when he left. We all agree that our conditioning is not the greatest therefore it is no surprise he is fitter and contributes more at Salford.